Politics, policy and action: lessons from rural GP advocacy in Ireland

Dr Shagun Tuli

qualifications: MGHD

contribution: Study conception and design, Acquisition of data, Analysis and interpretation of data, Drafting of manuscript, Critical revision

position: Resident

Dr Peter Hayes

qualifications: Mb BAO BCh, MD

contribution: Study conception and design, Acquisition of data, Analysis and interpretation of data, Drafting of manuscript, Critical revision

position: General Practitioner and Professor or Rural General Practice

Mr Patrick O’Donoghue

contribution: Study conception and design, Acquisition of data, Analysis and interpretation of data, Drafting of manuscript, Critical revision

Dr Fergus Glynn

qualifications: MRCPI

contribution: Study conception and design, Acquisition of data, Analysis and interpretation of data, Drafting of manuscript, Critical revision

Dr Robert Scully

qualifications: MD

contribution: Study conception and design, Acquisition of data, Analysis and interpretation of data, Drafting of manuscript, Critical revision

position: Deputy Director

Prof Andrew Murphy

qualifications: MD

contribution: Study conception and design, Acquisition of data, Analysis and interpretation of data, Drafting of manuscript, Critical revision

position: Professor of General Practice

Ireland

Andrew W Murphy is Foundation Professor of General Practice at the National University of Ireland, Galway and a general practitioner at Turloughmore Health Centre.

He has published nationally and internationally on his research interests of the management of cardiovascular disease in the community; the provision of healthcare in rural areas; the primary and secondary care interface and educational research. He is principal investigator on a Health Research Board funded five year programme on the general practice care provided to patients with established heart disease. He teaches at under and post graduate levels, including the departmental Diploma and Masters in Primary Care - the only such programme available in Ireland. The North Western and Western Health Boards provide significant support to the department.

He has been involved in national policy making through his Chairmanship of the Primary Care Sub-Committee of the National Cardiovascular Strategy and his role as Secretary to the Association of University Departments of General Practice in Ireland. He was previously Senior Lecturer at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Lecturer in University College Dublin.

He is also a frustrated sailor and squash player.

Prof Alan Chater

qualifications: MBBS

contribution: Study conception and design, Acquisition of data, Analysis and interpretation of data, Drafting of manuscript, Critical revision

position: Mayne Professor of Rural and Remote Medicine, Chair Rural WONCA

Dr Chater has been a rural practitioner in rural Australia for 42 years. He was the founding convenor of the Rural Doctors Associations of Queensland and Australia as well as the National Rural Health Alliance. He has been President of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine. He is Chair of the WONCA Working Party on Rural Practice and Head of Discipline Rural and Remote Medicine, University of Queensland. He has a keen interest in Rural Health Policy as it effects rural communities as well as the clinical aspects of rural practice.

Prof Liam Glynn

qualifications: FRCGP

contribution: Study conception and design, Acquisition of data, Analysis and interpretation of data, Drafting of manuscript, Critical revision

position: Professor of General Practice and General Practitioner